Leaving runners on base was indeed frustrating, but the UL softball team addressed that issue in the wrong direction in Saturday’s 10-2 road loss to James Madison in five innings in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
After stranding 21 runners on base in the first two games of the Virginia road trip, the Ragin’ Cajuns only left two on base in game two of the series against the Dukes with four hits and no walks.
The Cajuns are now 2-13 in true road games this season, including 1-7 in Sun Belt play. UL is now just a hair above .500 for the season at 22-20 overall and 5-9 in league play.
James Madison improved to 18-20 and 6-8.
Game three of the series is scheduled for 11 a.m. Central time Sunday.
UL starting pitcher Julianne Tipton certainly deserved a better fate.
She retired the first six batters she faced and then the third inning game.
Cali Legzdin and Emma Joe Evans both doubled around a ground out to tie the game at 1-1. With two outs and the bases loaded, a routine ground ball to shortstop was botched to chase home two runs.
Emily LeGrand then followed with a three-run home to right center for a 6-1 Dukes lead.
In the fourth, a pop fly near the foul line was dropped to spark a three-run inning for James Madison, including an Evans RBI single to left.
Fittingly, there were two more errors in the fifth. UL finished the game with four errors in the loss.
With UL one strike away from not playing the bottom of the fifth, Lily Knox got an RBI single to left to keep the game alive for two more outs.
Tipton finished the game allowing nine runs (three earned) on six hits, one walk and three strikeouts. Bethaney Noble covered the last 1.1 innings, giving up one run on two walks and one strikeout.
JMU starter Taylor Johnson improved to 6-7 on the season after yielding two runs (one earned) on four hits, no walks and two strikeouts over five innings and 62 pitches.
